This Bitter Earth
by ghostyStarr
Summary: Will Solace is an American medic volunteering in Rome, Italy in 1943. There, he meets Nico di Angelo and his family, who may or may not be rallying Resistance members in the center of a German-occupied city. WWII AU Solangelo.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Title is from the song "This Bitter Earth" by Dinah Washington mixed with Max Richter's "On the Nature of Daylight" Listen to it for full effect. :3**_

_**Warnings: There will be violence, mentions of war/torture, canonical character deaths, and overall angst, but I promise you right here and now that there will be a happy ending. As happy as these sorts of things can be, at least. If needed, I will bump the rating, but for now we should be okay!  
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><p><strong><em>Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.<em>**

**_–Lao Tzu_**

**...**

_28 June 1943_

When Will Solace told his parents he was going to Rome, he did not get the reaction he'd hoped for. Half of him wanted them to support his decision and comment on his bravery. The other half wanted them to shout and scream and forbid it. However, he got neither. His mother gaped at him, tears already building in her eyes. His father stared blankly at him, as if he was already dead. Their reactions had stirred up his nerves a bit but had done little to dispel him from his ending goal.

The facts were simple: Rome needed help and Will was a trained Red Cross medic. He could help.

It was either that or going to the frontlines, which he neglected to mention to his mother. He didn't want to put even more nightmares in her head. They'd already lost one person to the war, and Will could barely look at the room across his hall without feeling sick.

He wasn't a fighter by any means. He was the kid in gym class that was careful not to throw the ball too hard not because he was weak but because he was nervous about being too strong. The only thing that was worse than being in pain was inflicting it. But, he could take it away. He could ease the suffering, patch up the wounds, and lift broken hopes onto crutches.

If his military had handed him a gun he would have been living in the rugged mountains of Canada by now. But, thankfully, he'd played it smart and established himself as a medical man early on, before the draft managed to claim him. He was protected by the Red Cross insignia emblazoned on his sleeve.

He thought he had understood the risks, had understood what being in a German-occupied city meant for an American freedom-fighter, and had been prepared to accept those risks. He probably would have, too, if it hadn't been for one unexpected thing.

The 'thing' had all begun on Will's very first day in Rome, when he'd accidentally offended a fruit merchant with his poor Italian. He was flipping furiously through his little pocket dictionary as the man bellowed at him in angry Italian, hands making violent gestures that were starting to scare him.

"Uh… _Mi dispiace! Mi dispiace!" (I'm sorry! I'm sorry!) _Will cried. "_Non parlo italiano!" (I don't speak Italian!)_

_"Stronzo… americani!"_ _(Son of a bitch... Americans!) _The man snorted with a shake of his head.

Will wasn't sure what he'd just been called, but he had a few guesses. He clapped his hands together and bowed down in a show of apology. "Sorry!"

_"Andarsene!" (Buzz off!)_

Will decided to make his hasty escape, backing right into another passerby. The woman snapped at him with what was probably a curse word or four. He apologized again and nearly smacked into the first guy's fruit cart, toppling over a few oranges. Will was pretty sure the man was going to gut him. He just ran before the man could find his words.

"Dammit," he panted once he'd established a fair distance. "Where the hell am I?"

He'd been in Italy for less than a day and he was already pathetically lost. He knew the Red Cross had stationed themselves somewhere around the San Lorenzo district but he didn't even know where that was. It seemed as though his parents were going to be right after all. Will was going to die in Italy, but not the way everyone had thought.

Maps would've been a great idea, only he couldn't seem to find his. He was pretty sure he had put it into his rucksack but things have been periodically been mysteriously disappearing. He was certain he put a canteen of water in there, too, but when he reached for it, it was gone. Talking to locals was a big mistake. Will could barely find the correct words let alone pronounce them.

He looked up at the sky and sighed. "What am I doing here?"

A hand suddenly reached out, grabbed his collar, and dragged him onto the sidewalk. A moment later, an automobile clankered past, letting out an irritable stream of honks and disturbing a mucky puddle on the side of the road. Mud splattered all over Will's trousers, but he was too busy reeling from his close-call to care.

_"Idiota, sposta!" (Idiot, move!)_

Will turned in the direction of the angry voice, feeling off balance. He was met with a pair of narrowed, stormy eyes, partially hidden underneath a mop of windblown, messy black hair. Will's first instinct was to back up, which made him stumble into the street again. The man yanked him back, scowling. _"Sei sordo?" (Are you deaf?) _he shouted in a sharp, demanding tone. He was young, around Will's age, but nearly a head shorter. He was wearing canvas-color trousers with suspenders and a black, collared shirt. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing more of that olive-tone skin. A matching black Irish-style cap sat on his head.

Will cleared his throat. It felt like something was squeezing his vocal chords shut. "I, uh… don't speak Italian. Sorry."

The young man's dark eyes widened in slight surprise before they narrowed once again. "Then what are you doing in Italy, you moron?"

Will let out a huge sigh of relief. "Oh my God! English! Thank you, thank you so much!" In his excitement, he clapped the Italian on the shoulder and shook him. "You have no idea what I've been through."

The man shoved him off. "It's your own fault! Let go of me already!"

Will was oblivious to the Italian's bad attitude. He was too busy digging in his pockets for the address he was supposed to be looking for. When he finally located it, he looked back up, smile on his face, but the man was gone. Erupting into panic, Will scanned the area. "Hey!" he called out as he caught the sight of the man's retreating form through the crowd. "Hey, wait up!" He took off after him like a drowning man for land. "Wait!"

The man turned around and gave Will the deepest look of loathing he'd ever seen. But he stopped. Will almost knocked into him in his haste, doubling over to catch his breath. "Man, you're fast." The man just crossed his arms. "Look, can you just tell me where this address is?" He held up the piece of paper. "Or else I might seriously die out here."

The man snorted condescendingly and snatched the paper out of Will's hands. He glanced at the scribbled address and his eyebrows knotted together. "Oh, this is just great," he muttered.

Will's shoulders slumped. "What? I'm in the completely wrong place, aren't I? This _is_ Rome, right?"

"Of _course_ it's Rome!" the man snapped. He shook his head. "You're staying at the Asphodel." He turned back around and took a few steps before barking over his shoulder, "Follow me!"

"Seriously?" Will grinned. "Thank you! You've saved me twice."

"Yeah, well, don't be surprised if I don't do it a third time."

Will just chuckled. He had heard that Italians were pretty relaxed and easy-going, but so far he'd only encountered crabby, grumpy, and loud. This Italian seemed a bit different, however. Will could sense there was something else fueling that sharp-tongue. Instead of pushing it, Will just followed the man around the impossibly crowded city. He stayed close enough that he could latch onto him in case they were separated, feeling a bit like a lost child looking for his mother.

"Are we almost there?" he asked after several minutes of dead silence.

"Just keep walking."

"'Kay…" Will muttered, a smidgen of suspicion curling through him. He didn't know the man, didn't know where he was being led. He didn't exactly trust the man, but he wasn't about to left stranded in the middle of Rome.

Eventually, they approached a large building on the outskirts of the city that looked as old as the cobblestone roads Will saw leading into the city, which the train guide explained that they were Roman, dating nearly two thousand years old. Will wondered how old the building in front of him was. It was exactly what he pictured a Romanesque villa to be, only a bit larger. It was an aged-tan color with red tiled, sloped roofs. An elaborate garden sat outside, too green and nice for the city. "It's beautiful," Will breathed out.

The young man didn't wait. He just trudged across the scenery and disappeared behind a pair of heavy wooden doors. Will blinked, but followed after him. He checked the address on his note and the one on a sign just outside the door. They matched.

He let out a huge sigh of relief and walked in, unsure of what he would find inside. He almost dropped his suitcase. Tall ceilings, adorned with glossy frescoes, floors with intricate mosaics leading into a large atrium with a double staircase parted on either side. Overall, it was rather dark and reclusive, but Will could see light coming from the halls on either side. He spotted the young man's back disappear around a corner, shouting something in Italian. Will decided to keep following, unsure of what else to do. He heard voices as he stepped down a small flight of steps and received another shock. "Wow," he muttered.

Along one side of the peristyle was a long set of columns leading out into a square courtyard, which was a tranquil and beautiful garden with a dead fountain in the center. On the other side of the columns were several different doors. Above him was another painted ceiling. Will found himself thinking that he had somehow travelled back in time and really was standing in the middle of a Roman noble's home. It was gorgeous, yet somehow sad, as if it had been even more glorious a long time ago and Father Time had left it to rot.

He spotted the man again. He was in the courtyard, speaking hurriedly to a young woman. She looked so similar to him that Will had to assume it was his sister. "Uh," he called out uneasily, "hello?"

The pair stopped bickering and stared back at him. The woman blinked, stared at the man beside her, and then smiled warmly. "Hello," she greeted and came to meet him as she held up her hand. "Welcome to the Asphodel. I'm Bianca, and this is my very rude little brother, Nico."

"Nico" gave her a sour look before crossing his arms and turning to face the fountain. Will smiled wryly and shook her hand. "We met. Sort of."

"Yes, Nico told me about it." Bianca shrugged apologetically. "Sorry about him. He can be… a handful."

_"He_ was the one standing in the middle of the street!" Nico huffed over his shoulder. "He would have been as flat as a _panini_ if I hadn't come along."

Will found his lips twitching upwards at the younger man's sass. Bianca seemed to be desensitized to it. "Anyways," he cleared his throat, "my name is Will Solace. I'm from the Red Cross?"

Bianca's eyes widened. "Oh."

_"You're_ the medic?" Nico spun around, unfolding his arms. He glanced up and down Will's figure with a critical eye. "You?"

"Nico," Bianca chided. "Go tell father he's here."

"But, I—"

"Go."

Nico threw Will a suspicious look before slinking back to the shadowy pathway. Will watched him enter one of the doors and slam it close.

"Sorry," Bianca sighed again, "he's just… frustrated. It's not you."

"No worries," Will said, remembering the lines of German soldiers stationed at every entrance to the city. He had been one of the very few medics allowed into the city that weren't German or Italian. Even Will wasn't sure exactly how he managed to get so lucky. Will's eyes flashed back to the door Nico had gone behind. "I can't even begin to imagine how it's been."

Bianca offered him an empathetic smile. "Americans have seen their share of war, too."

"It's not exactly the same, is it?"

She shrugged and then gestured around her. "My father owns this place. It's been in the family for longer than anyone can remember."

"Asphodel." Will nodded. "Like the Greek myth?"

"Anyone's guess." Bianca clapped her hands together. "Anyways, we're very happy you're here! How about I show you to your room?"

Will agreed eagerly and followed Bianca back into the main part of the villa. As he passed through tall corridors and large rooms, the place felt more oppressive and frail, as if the walls were decaying and its inhabitants were falling with it. The whole feel was depressing and eerie, but – for some reason – Will thought that added to the appeal. He ran a hand along a prickly fresco painted on the wall. There was history there, stories to be told, and Will found it absolutely beautiful.

"Here you go," Bianca said, opening an oak door. "This is your room. You can put your things in there."

"Thank you," Will said with a grateful little bow.

Bianca nodded politely but her mind seemed to be someplace else. "You remember how to get to front from here, right?" Will hummed in affirmation, already observing the melancholy décor. It was like he was staying in a gothic church more than an Italian villa. "I'll call for you when my father is ready to welcome you," she said as Will toyed with the thick curtains. "Until then feel free to rest or walk around."

"All right. Thank you again."

"Of course," she said and then, as if unsure if she should say anything at all, added, "we're really happy you're here."

Before Will could say anything else, she left hurriedly, her long white dress trailing after her. Will tried to set aside the ominous feeling in his gut. He felt the same as when Michael dared him to pet their terrible neighbor's questionably rabid dog as kids. And, _shit,_ he shouldn't have thought about that. The name still left a scorching hole in his chest. Quickly, he jarred aside the curtains, a puff of dust billowing up, and let the light shine inside the dark room. As he glanced over the bed and the thick layer of dust on the dresser, he assumed that the room hadn't been used in a long time.

He decided to put away his belongings – not that there was much of it. He opened the drawers only to find them filled with cobwebs. He closed them again. There wasn't anything wrong with living out of his suitcase until he could find time to clean everything up.

His mind drifted back to the courtyard again and the exotic-looking garden. If anything, it would take his mind off of the growing pain in his chest. He had some trouble finding it again, got turned around several times and was distracted by the countless paintings and busts that decorated the halls. It was like a mansion, something torn right out of Hollywood, and Will was still reeling from the fact that he was actually _in Italy._ He'd never left the States before and, surrounded by all of _this,_ he felt strangely small.

When he finally found the courtyard again, it was empty. Breathing a sigh of relief, he approached the fountain. It was a perfect circle with a statue of a tall woman leaning against a broken column and tilting a jar. Her face was solemn and worn from years of weathering. Will could just barely make out the blue and green mosaic along the bottom underneath a foot of brown water with dead leaves floating on the top. He noticed his reflection and grimaced. He looked like he spent the last twenty-four hours on a crowded steamship and sneaking into an enemy-occupied city. _Oh, wait._

Suddenly, the door that Nico had disappeared behind burst open and two angry voices floated out. Will flinched and glanced up in time to see a tall, intimidating man with black hair and a twisted beard with beady eyes and a long, broad nose. Behind him was Nico, who was gesturing wildly in defiance to something the man had just said. Will caught only the end of it. "—eighteen! I'm not a child!"

"We are not having this discussion again, Nico," the man said in a tone that sent Will's nerves scrambling. It was cool, calm, but laced with dangerous authority. "You will stay here and that's final." Nico jerked his gaze away angrily only for it to rest on Will, who tried to hide behind the statue nervously. The man noticed him and his demeanor changed. "Ah, you must be the medic!"

Will peered out from behind the statue and smiled. It came out more like a grimace. "Uh, y-yes, sir. Sorry, I wasn't trying to—"

"You're early!" the man cut across him, striding across the green to clasp Will's hand with a crushing grip. "We weren't expecting you until the morning." There was a suspicious glint in his eyes and Will inexplicably felt the need to explain himself.

"Uh, right. The conductor said something about the station being too crowded at night so he wanted to depart earlier than scheduled." Will shrugged cautiously. "I had the whole cart to myself. It was pretty neat actually."

Nico, who was lurking behind the man, gave a condescending scoff. Will glanced at him and noticed the way his stance mirrored the man in front of him perfectly. The man took great interest in Will's words, head nodding as if he had just received grave news. "I see. Anyways, we are just glad you made it here safe and sound. You can call me Hades. Welcome to Asphodel."

"Thank you," Will said with another polite half-bow, "for letting me stay here. I know it must be a big burden to house anyone these days."

'Hades' held up a hand. "It's nothing. You're safe in these walls."

Nico gave another haughty _"Hah!"_ at that and Hades frowned at him. "I'm told you've already met my son," he said the word as if he needed to remind himself that, "Nico."

"Yeah." Will smiled brightly at the younger boy. "He saved me from becoming a _panini."_

Nico rolled his eyes. "Father, can't we just—"

_"Zitto,_ Nico. Why don't you show, uh…?" Hades turned to Will with raised eyebrows.

Will jumped. "Oh, uh. Will. Will Solace."

"Why don't you show Mr. Solace around? Show him the infirmary."

"Infirmary?" Will echoed. "It's here?"

Hades blinked at him. "Of course. Where else would it be?"

"A hospital?"

Nico's eyebrows shot up like Will had just slapped his father across the face. Only, he seemed more impressed than offended. Nico cast a slightly-amused at his father, who frowned. "All the hospitals here are German-filled," he said in a tone that meant Will wasn't getting a better explanation than that.

Nico, looking slightly less irritable than before, shrugged. "Come on, then, I guess. I'll show you around the shitty place."

"Language!" Hades barked at him.

Nico made a face and Will had to suppress the smile. He followed Nico out of the courtyard after saying a quick goodbye to Hades, who gave a curt nod back. Will made a mental note to never piss him off.

It was obvious that Nico didn't want to be there, that there were other things on his mind, but Will didn't mind the short commentary – _"The kitchen. Food and whatever. The bathrooms are over there. Use all the hot water and I'll kill you." _ In fact, he found it rather funny.

"What's that?" Will asked, pointing at a pair of double doors with two pillars on either side.

"That's…" Nico looked back and his fists balled tightly at his sides. "Don't worry about it."

Well, if that wasn't foreboding then Will didn't know what was. Still, he didn't want to tread on any toes on his first day. "Okay… lead on then."

Nico was already continuing down the hall so Will followed. "This is where we set up the infirmary," he muttered and pushed open a door at the very end. He stepped to the side, apparently having no intention of going in there himself, but Will went forward. It was much smaller than he'd been expecting; a mere bedroom with four twin beds. There was a cabinet that looked to be filled with medical supplies as well as a long table.

"Are you really a doctor?"

Will tore his attention away from the shelves stuffed with antiseptics and bandages. Nico was leaning against the frame, not even letting the tips of his toes pass the threshold, and watched Will with a frown. "I'm a medic," Will said.

"Is there a difference?"

"A little. Less training, I guess."

Nico glared. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-one."

Nico's eyes widened a bit before narrowed right back.

Will hastened to address his worries. "Look, I'm not very experienced but I come from a family of doctors. I passed all the tests with perfect scores." Will glanced back around the room. "But can I ask you something?" Nico didn't answer so Will decided to take that as a yes. "Why is there even an infirmary set up here?"

Nico snorted. "He didn't even tell you, did he?"

"Tell me? Tell me what?"

"Forget it." Nico straightened up. "Less you know the better."

"What's that even supposed to mean?" Will asked even as the Italian began to walk away. "Hey!" He growled in frustration and followed after him. "Wait!"

"Drop it, _idiota,"_ Nico called over his shoulder. "You've got your job. That's all you need to worry about."

Will huffed. He was really starting to question the legitimacy of his 'contract'. He had signed up to work in a _hospital,_ dammit! Not a cleared out bedroom! Why was there even one in a place such as this? He quickened his pace to catch up, barely noticing where they were going until sunlight blinded him.

"We're back here?" Will wondered aloud, blinking at the courtyard.

"The plan is one big rectangle," Nico said. His tone was terse, grudging. "If you get lost again, which seems pretty likely, just go the middle. If you can't find that then you deserve to be lost."

Will rolled his eyes. He understood the hardships everyone in the city had probably faced, but Nico's attitude was starting to wear at his patience. "Look, I don't—" he started, but immediately cut off when Nico spun around to face him, his face catching the light just so. It was like a little crest of light was resting at the top of his head. "Look…" he tried again, but there came that strange strangled feeling again. Instead of telling off the younger boy like he desperately wanted, he just stared into those magnetizing brown eyes. He already could feel himself slipping, falling, inch by inch, into that gaze.

"What?" Nico scowled. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

Will snapped back to himself. "Huh?"

Nico threw up his hands in frustration. "Americans," he muttered before stomping off. "Finish the tour yourself and try to remember where you're going, okay?"

"Where are you going?" Will asked as Nico left. He didn't get an answer. "Jeez," he breathed and looked around. He wasn't sure what to do with himself. He felt out of place, strange, almost like he was in a dream.

He had spent twenty-one years hiding _that side_ of him. He couldn't afford to be identified for what he was. There was too much at risk, especially these days. He had to control himself fast or else… He didn't want to think about it.

In the end, he just explored. He met a few other people living within the villa and they were all much friendlier. There was even another American. She found him while he was studying one of the frescoes on the wall. "Pretty, isn't it?"

Will straightened up to see a young woman – about his age — beside him. He cleared his throat. "Er, yeah. Yeah, it is."

The woman nodded. "You're the medic everyone is talking about, right?"

Will cocked an eyebrow. "People are talking about me?" Then he made a show of looking around them. "There are other people here?"

She laughed and nodded. "There are probably a dozen other people that live here. Myself included. I'm Lou Ellen, by the way."

"Will."

They shook hands before Lou Ellen continued, "Anyways, everyone is busy with other things, though." There was weight to her words and once again Will felt like he was missing something. "They'll be back soon and you'll get properly welcomed." She waved her hands around. "Everyone just gets so tense when they're out for so long. It's dangerous these days, you know."

Well, Will supposed that helped to explain why Nico and his sister had been acting so oddly. "I guess."

"Uh-oh. I know that look. You've met Nico, haven't you?"

Will smirked. "Actually, I have. Is he…?"

"Always a major asshole?" She snorted. "Pretty much. To which degree varies from day to day. If he was rude, don't let it bug you. He's had it rough. His whole family has. The Asphodel is pretty much their whole world."

Will frowned. "What exactly is this place, anyways? I've never seen anything like it."

"It belongs to the di Angelos," she said. "No one knows exactly for how long. But, I suppose it's a refuge. Some of Rome's most wanted people live here."

Will choked on a gasp. "Criminals?"

Lou Ellen shrugged. "Liberators," she said, glancing at him to gauge his reaction.

"You don't mean," Will glanced over his shoulder and dropped his voice, _"resistance members?"_ Will had heard of the Italian Resistance before but he hadn't even considered it to be possible in a city such as this. There were German soldiers lining every street, listening to every spoken word, ready to leap at someone who had one hair out of line.

Lou Ellen raised an eyebrow. "They really didn't tell you a thing, did they? Well," she hummed, "maybe that's for the best."

"Why does everyone keep telling me that?"

"You're not the first medic we've had," she said quietly. "Just keep that in mind."

Will didn't even have the chance to question her further. The front doors suddenly flew open and two men ran in, supporting an unconscious man between them. Will's stomach twisted uneasily when he saw blood staining their shirts. _"We could use some help, here!"_

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><p><em><strong>AN: **_**_Updates will be unbearably slow, and I've never attempted something like this before, but I hope you guys stick through this one with me! See you soon!  
><em>**

**_Also: This story is also on AO3, where I'll be putting a lot of links of extra tidbits, research, pictures, etc. Because I'm a history nerd like that. Check it out if you'd like! :3 _**


	2. Chapter 2

Will's sense of direction was thankfully not as awful as Nico di Angelo had implied. He led the way to the makeshift infirmary, pushing aside the door and instructing the men to lay the injured one onto the long table. His instincts took over then, pushing aside the man's jacket and observing the deep wound in his shoulder. "Is this a gunshot wound?" he hissed, spinning around to glare at the two other men and surprised to find that he had an audience. He spotted a familiar mop of raven-black hair peeking around the threshold.

He shook his head. "It doesn't matter. There's no exit wound."

"What does that mean?" one of the men sniffed. He looked particularly distraught. "That's good, right?"

Will was already pushing up his sleeves. "It means the bullet is still inside. I'm going to have to remove it."

"His _arm?"_ the man cried. Will glanced at him. He looked nearly identical to the man on the table. Brothers.

Will's heart twisted painfully but he ignored it. "What's your name?" he asked.

"C-Connor."

"This is your brother?"

Connor nodded. "T-Travis. His name is Travis. I don't know what happened. Everything was fine. Quiet. A-and then—oh, God!"

"Okay, Connor, listen to me." Will placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him firmly. "I'm going to get the bullet out of his arm, patch him up, and he'll be just fine. Simple as that. But we have to do it quickly."

Connor nodded frantically again. Will opened the cabinets and searched its contents. _Alcohol for sterilization, bandages, needle and thread, no pliers of any sort. _He grabbed what he could in a rush before going back to the table. He used the man's belt to cut off the blood flow above his shoulder and pushed his jacket onto the wound, keeping a firm, steady pressure on it. "I need my bag," he called out to the room. "In my room. There's a black medical bag. I need it. Now."

He heard someone run out of the room to fetch it, but his attention remained fixed on stopping the bleeding. His hands were covered in it and – again – he felt a lurch of nerves. Just as he was finishing up cleaning the wound as best he could, his bag was being handed to him. He glanced up and froze. Nico di Angelo was holding out his bag with wide eyes. As soon as Will took it, Nico recoiled from the room as if he'd been struck.

Will didn't have time to worry about that. Below him, Travis jerked into consciousness. "Shit," Will cursed as he struggled to keep him down. "Help! Keep him restrained!"

Connor and another man pushed down on Travis's chest, keeping him pinned against the table. "Travis, you're okay," Will was shouting over the injured man's choked sobs. "You have a bullet in you and I'm going to—_erk!_" One of Travis's arms swung free and succeeded in checking Will right in the nose. He groaned, definitely felt a bit of blood trickle out, but it could wait. Two more people rushed to help and, together, they subdued him.

Will pulled out a pair of long pliers and Travis groaned. _"You're not sticking me with that!"_ he rasped loudly. "Just cut my whole arm off!"

"Shut up!" Connor barked at him. Travis's pale face went even whiter before he promptly went limp against the table. "Wh-what's happening?" Connor gasped. _"What's happening?"_

Will placed a hand on Travis's chest and listened. "He just passed out. He's okay. It'll make this easier."

Extracting the bullet was much harder in practice than in theory. If Travis had been awake, it would have been excruciatingly painful. Will's hands were shaking, clumsy, but, eventually, he managed to pull out a complete, intact bullet. "Got it," he whispered and set to work on closing up the wound.

On the other side of the table, Connor let out a loud, shaky exhale and fell into a chair, staring at his brother with wide and tired eyes. Lou Ellen helped Will with the stitching and the bandaging. Eventually, there was nothing more Will could do. He wiped his brow with his shoulder, quite aware of the drying blood on his hands.

"He'll pull through," he assured Connor, who nodded quickly.

Will happened to glance out the door and, once again, saw Nico watching him closely, leaning against the threshold. Their eyes met but Nico was quick to break it then, slowly, met it again. Oddly, Will felt that warmth stirring through him; the same kind he'd felt in the courtyard.

Suddenly, Nico was pushed aside as Hades stomped into the room, looking livid. "What happened?" he demanded.

The other man that had come in with Connor and Travis spoke up. "They ambushed us. They had to have known we were coming. We didn't even get close to the warehouse."

"They knew?" Hades repeated. "How?"

"We've never been caught before," Connor whispered. "Someone tipped them off."

The other man sneered at Will. "Isn't it funny how we get a new medic the same day they discover us?"

Hades's dark eyes rested on Will and his nostrils flared. Before Will could comprehend what was happening, Hades strode across the room, grabbed the front of his shirt, and shoved him against the wall threateningly. "Did you tell anyone who you were?" he hissed through his teeth. "Did you tell anyone why you were here?"

"I-I – no!" Will held up his hands. "What's—?"

"Did you tell _anyone_ that you were a medic? That you were looking for this place? _This place in particular?_"

"N-no! They didn't even understand me! I only asked them if they spoke English!" Will's voice was much higher than he'd like to admit, but Hades had a strong grip and Will felt like an insignificant little ant looking up at the bottom of a boot. "I-I didn't say anything! I swear!"

Hades held him for a few moments before suddenly releasing him. "Keep it that way," he said lowly before turning to the rest of the people in the room. "I want to know every detail of what happened. Now."

Everyone followed Hades out of the room. Everyone except for Connor, who stayed beside his brother, and Bianca. "Thank you," Connor whispered.

All of the fight left Will with those two words. He sighed and nodded. The action made his nose throb painfully and he held it with a groan before grimacing at the mess on his hands. Bianca handed him a towel. "Nico showed you were the baths were, right? Why don't you go wash up?"

Will accepted her offer quickly and held the towel to his nose. "Is your dad always like that?"

"Yeah, sort of." Bianca sighed. "Don't take it personally. He's doesn't trust anyone."

"Right. Thanks." Somehow, that didn't comfort Will at all. He started to walk out of the room before glancing over his shoulder. "I don't suppose you'll tell me what's going on here?"

Bianca shook her head. "Sorry, Will."

He sighed. "Didn't think so," he muttered, and left.

After he'd washed up and changed into fresh clothes, he observed his nose, which was already turning a brilliant purple color. Broken, probably. Not much he could do but wait for it to heal. He hissed in pain as he prodded the bridge carefully.

"Here."

Will jumped as a small pack of ice wrapped in a cloth was thrust into his face. Will took it, blinking over at his visitor. "Oh, uh, thanks."

Nico shrugged dismissively and leaned against one of the sinks as Will rested it carefully on his nose. "Don't take Octavian seriously."

"Who?"

"The tall blonde idiot that called you out."

"Ah." Will winced as he repositioned the ice. "I've been hearing that a lot. Don't do this. Don't worry about that. But I have no idea why I'm even here."

"And if you're smart you never will."

Will gritted his teeth. "So I'm just expected to patch people up whenever you guys fuck up doing some top secret illegal stuff, is that it?" He faltered at Nico's expression. His lips parted as he remembered how his father and he argued earlier. "You don't know either, do you?"

Nico snapped his head up, scowling as if _daring _him to keep talking. "I know more than you."

"So level with me. What is your father trying to do?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Nico hissed. "He's – _we're_ fighting back."

"Against who? The _Germans?"_ Will shook his head. "I understand that you want Italy to be free but that's… it's a death warrant!"

Nico looked oddly disappointed in him. "You don't understand. The war just started for you." His hands balled into fists. "I want it to end."

Will fell silent. He lowered the ice-pack onto the sink and sighed. "I'm sorry," he whispered, "for whatever you've gone through. It's just that… violence…" Will shook his head. "I can't stand it. I'm a pacifist."

Nico suddenly broke into hoarse laughter. "An American medic that hates violence gets lost in one of the most dangerous cities in Europe. How did you _not_ get killed?"

Nico's laughter was mesmerizing. It was almost melodic, hitching on the point of sadness, which sent Will's heart into a right fit. He lifted his ice-pack again and chuckled. His nose throbbed again and a bit of blood squirted out. He let out a very unmanly squeak, which renewed Nico's humor.

"You're so dumb," he chided. "But… you did save Travis." Will glanced up. Was Nico…? Was that a blush on his cheeks? "That was… all right."

Will would have snorted but nose was in too great of distress. Instead he raised a cocky eyebrow and grinned. "All right, huh?"

The look Nico gave him was positively unamused and yet Will still felt a strange kick to his heart. _No,_ he reminded himself. _Absolutely not._

Although, he couldn't dismiss the way Nico's blush deepened just a smidgen. Was he just embarrassed? Was he just a naturally blush-y person? Or…? Will couldn't even let himself finish that thought. There was no chance that Nico was like him.

At that moment, Will's stomach decided to voice its opinion. He held it embarrassedly but Nico's lips just quirked upwards. "Hungry?"

"What can I say?" He winked. "Saving lives can work up quite the appetite."

"Pretty confident for a guy who can't read a map."

"Pretty snarky for a kid who hangs out in a frilly garden all day."

Nico raised an eyebrow. A flash of something appears on his face; a challenge? Mutual interest? Will wasn't sure if he wanted to know. Thankfully, Nico took a step back and cleared his throat. "I'm eighteen," he said prudently.

Will shrugged. "Still a kid."

"Shut up."

…

The dining room reminded Will of one of those long Viking tables only much classier. A chandelier – dusty, broken, yet grand – was hanging above the mahogany table. In the center sat a tall stand for candles, dried wax stuck to the wood. There were several people already in there. He spotted Lou Ellen next to a man Will did not know. He was sitting down along one of the long sides – honestly, the table could sit twenty people – and chugging down a pint like it was his job. He gasped as he finished it off, letting it clunk against the table loudly. "Tha's good," he slurred. Then he noticed Will and raised a hand in greeting. "Oi, you! Yer tha' doctor, aren'cha?"

"Uh, yeah." Will smiled politely. "My name is Will Solace."

"Dakota," the man introduced, ignoring Will's outstretched hand in favor of peering down into his empty glass with a frown. "I coulda sworn it was half full…"

"Is he okay?" Will whispered to Lou Ellen, who sighed.

"He's fine. He always drinks like this. The guy's got a liver of steel."

"An' don'chu forget it, sweet cheeks!" Dakota's hic hitched into hoarse laughter. "Fuck," he muttered and held up his glass again. "Where'd it go?"

"Anyways," Lou Ellen cut across him, "that was pretty amazing what you did for Travis back there."

Will flushed. "No, it was… It was nothing, really. I mean, that's my job, right?"

"Still," she said.

Another young woman with long black hair braided to the side and twirling a crooked dagger in her hands huffed. "Wouldn't have needed a doctor if _someone_ had fixed the enigma when I asked him."

A man with black curly hair, whose face was smudged with what looked to be oil and ash, stopped in mid-step and held up his hands as he spun around to face the woman. "Hold up! I _know_ you didn't just insult me. Do you have any idea how hard it is to fix something called an _enigma?"_

Lou Ellen rolled her eyes. "Will, this is Reyna." She gestured to the woman holding the dagger, who was pretending to aim it at the older man. Lou Ellen pointed to him next. "And that's Leo. He's our resident mechanic."

Leo grinned and shook Will's hand animatedly. His face was worn and tired despite the smile he put on. It didn't seem to match his eyes, which were deep and thoughtful, as if older than the walls themselves. Still, his grin was broad and almost desperate. Will only recognized it because it was a look he'd gotten very acquainted with the last few months. "Welcome aboard!" Leo said. Will caught a Spanish accent, though it was slightly dulled. "If you have any questions, come find me. And, a piece of advice," he lowered his voice and glared at Reyna, "if you value your sanity leave that one alone. She can be a real bi—"

Will felt the wisp of air pass his face before he heard the dagger strike the wooden door. He blanched while Leo just looked mildly annoyed. _"Dios mío, mujer! ¡Es una broma!" (My God, woman! Take a joke!) _he shouted over his shoulder while clasping Will's.

_"Cállate o el siguiente irá en medio de tus ojos." (Shut up or the next one goes in between your eyes.) _she hissed, picking up a fork.

Leo shook his head. "See? _Loca!"_

No one else seemed to be very effected by the events, which made Will feel as though this was a normal occurrence. It only made him feel worse.

The door opened and yet another woman walked in, holding a large bowl of lettuce. Nico followed in after her, holding some plates and silverware. The woman squawked in indignation when she saw the blade sticking out of the door. "I _just_ finished buffing out the scratches on the staircase!" she complained.

"She started it," Leo accused while Reyna huffed.

"Whatever," she said. "There's more to bring in from the kitchen. Everyone grab something."

Leo, Reyna, Lou Ellen, and even Dakota, in his tipsy state, followed the other woman out of the dining room without question. Will figured this was a normal thing, too.

Nico rolled his eyes as they passed and began setting the table. Will glanced at the group and saw Reyna rip the dagger out of the door. He decided to stay here. "Here, let me help," he said and took a few plates from Nico, who eyed him with an unreadable expression then nodded.

For a few moments, neither of them spoke. Will was trying to think of some sort of conversation. Even if he wasn't entirely comfortable with it, he was going to be here for a while. He wanted to be on good terms with everyone. His eyes flashed up to where Nico was placing spoons around the table, eyebrows drawn like he was battling with thoughts of his own, and Will had to fight the smile pushing at his mouth.

_No,_ came his sensible side again. _Too dangerous. Don't even think it._

"So, uh, everyone seems…" he trailed off as soon as Nico's gaze met his. He gestured uselessly.

Nico raised an eyebrow. "Insane?"

Will chuckled. "That's one way of saying it."

Nico shrugged. "You get used to it."

"Really?"

Nico snorted. "I mean, maybe. Eventually."

Will hummed as he set down a plate. "Okay so there's Connor, Travis, Dakota, Octavian, Reyna, Lou Ellen, and Leo. Who am I forgetting?"

Nico repositioned one of the forks. "Well, Bianca. And Hazel, but I don't think you've met her yet. Piper, who just came in here and told everyone to help. And my father."

"Right." Will grimaced. "Is his name really Hades?"

Nico shrugged again. "I've never heard anyone call him anything else."

"So that's on his birth certificate?" Will asked and Nico blinked at him. He held up a hand. "I just never heard of anyone being named _Hades!_ It's kind of intimidating."

Nico let out a single, bitter laugh. "You have no idea."

Will didn't really know what to say to that. He studied the intricate floral design along the china. It looked, like everything else in the home, ancient. "My father's name is Apollo," he blurted out.

Nico looked up. "Really?"

"Yeah, weird, huh? I mean, what are the chances that both of our fathers are named after Greek gods? Heck, maybe we're related!" Will was aware that he was babbling, but he couldn't help it. It was a nervous tick, one that used to drive his family insane.

"I highly doubt that," Nico replied. He fell silent for a moment. "I also know a Persephone."

Will's jaw dropped. "No kidding? Man, what is this? We're not in a Greek tragedy, are we? Next thing we know we'll have an Oedipus walking in saying he's lost and needs to get back home."

Nico's lips twitched. "I think you mean Odysseus."

"What's the difference?"

"Oedipus is the one that had children with his own mother."

"Buh!" Will shuddered and made a face. "The other one. I definitely meant the other one."

Nico's tiny smile grew a fraction of an inch. He looked as though he wanted to say something else but everyone came piling in, carrying dishes and platters. Will hastened to finish setting the plates around the table before taking a seat beside Lou Ellen. He was somewhat relieved, and slightly disappointed, when Nico sat on the other side at the complete opposite end.

"Don't even both with the grace," someone muttered – Piper? Will was having trouble matching all the names to their respective faces. "Just eat."

Leo nodded approvingly as he took the empty seat beside Will and reached for a basket full of rolls. He took one for himself before passing it along. "Beware the bread," he whispered out of the corner of his mouth. "It's hard as a rock."

Will picked one out of the basket and handed it off to Lou Ellen. Experimentally, he tapped it against the plate, surprised at the solid _thunk thunk_ it made. He glanced at Leo, who was nodding solemnly.

"Told you," he said.

The 'salad' was just as off-putting. The lettuce was rather soggy and turning brown. The various vegetables were dark and looked as though they'd been frozen for a long time and hadn't been properly thawed. Will had to douse it in a lot of dressing to compensate. He wasn't even sure if the chicken had been cooked through. He glanced around the table. Everyone seemed to not even notice.

Guilt settled in his stomach. Just yesterday he was eating a full meal with ripe fruit and fresh bread and even forced down several cookies afterwards while these people had probably been forced to make do with these dwindling provisions for months. He stared down at his plate with a frown.

"So, Will, was it?"

Will snapped his attention up and saw that Piper was speaking to him. "Oh! Yes."

She nodded and wiped her mouth on a napkin before extending a hand. "My name is Piper Mclean. Nice to meet you."

"Piper, here, is our best informant," Lou Ellen praised. "Nothing gets past her."

Will blinked. "Really? What kind of information do you look for?"

"All kinds," Piper said proudly. She smiled at him and winked. "I can be _very_ persuasive."

Leo whistled in approval, and Piper promptly flicked a piece of lettuce at him.

"I see," Will said. "Can't that get a little… dangerous?"

Piper turned her attention back to him and her grin turned a little mischievous. "Not as long as you're good at hiding your tracks. Why?" She winked again. "Got a secret?"

"U-uh." He shrank back in his seat. His gaze unintentionally wandered over to where Nico was pushing around his salad with his fork, a bored look on his face. "N-no. Not really. Open book."

Piper laughed. "Relax, Will! I'm just joking around. Besides, if you had any _real_ secrets, Hades would know them."

He was a little threatened by her words, but another young woman nudged her. She had dark skin and very curly auburn hair. Her eyes seemed familiar somehow, but Will couldn't quite identify it. "Piper, don't scare him." She rolled her eyes and held out her hand. "I'm Hazel, by the way. I just realized we haven't been introduced."

"Will."

He looked around the table, trying to remember everyone. Across from him was Reyna, who was jabbing at her salad dangerously. Beside her was Octavian, who was already casting dark looks his way. Then was Piper, who was laughing at something Hazel had said. On one side of Will was Lou Ellen and the other was Leo. There was Dakota, who was snoring into the table, and Bianca, who was prodding him in amusement. Connor wasn't present but Will presumed he was still with his brother. Then there was Nico, and Will had to glance away before he raised his fork to his lips.

Afterwards, Will made his way back to infirmary with a plate in his hands. It took him a few moments to gain his bearings, and he accidentally turned down the wrong hall once, but it wasn't his fault that everything looked the same.

He found Connor sitting at his brother's bedside, staring at his hands with a guilty look in his eyes. Travis still seemed to be asleep, which was probably for the best at the moment. They didn't exactly have any anesthetics to help him with the pain. Sleep was kinder.

Will walked over and set the plate down on the nightstand beside Connor's seat. Connor gave him a blank look and Will shrugged. "If you're going to sit here all night I'm going to treat you like a patient. And patients eat."

Connor nodded absently. "Thank you," he said, and Will could tell he wasn't just speaking about the food.

Will nodded back before reaching for Travis's bandages. Connor tensed up. "I'm just checking the stitches," he placated. "Then I'll change his bandages. I don't want it getting infected." Connor sank back in his seat and Will took that as a sign to continue.

As he unwrapped the dirty bandages, there was a tense silence in the room. When Will wiped away the dried blood, Connor suddenly spoke. "He wasn't supposed to be there, you know."

Will glanced up. "What's that?"

"Travis. He wasn't supposed to come. It was just supposed to be Octavian and I. But he… he said something was up. He didn't have a good feeling about it. One second, the three of us were walking across the lot and the next he was shoving me out of the way. I didn't even realize what was happening until I heard Octavian cursing and shouting." He sighed. "That bullet would have been in my head."

Will barely knew this man. He barely understood the situation he had been thrown in. But, he did understand what it felt like to lose a brother. He finished cleaning up Travis's wound, tied the clean bandages tight, and wiped off his hands before clasping Connor on the shoulder. "Your brother is tough," he said in a confident, steady voice. One he had so often heard as a child when his older brother would try to get him to stop crying. "He's going to be just fine, and I have a feeling he would do it again. As would you for him. Shake it off and get back out there. That's what he would want, right?"

Connor relaxed and he nodded. "Yeah. You're right." Then, he lightly punched Will on the shoulder. "You're all right, Yank."

Will grinned before patting him on the back and straightening up. He pointed at the plate. "There better not be a morsel on that plate when I come back!"

Connor raised a hand to signal he had heard and Will left, closing the door behind him. For a moment he just leaned against the door, staring blankly at nothing, and tried to sort through his thoughts. His suspicions were growing with every passing second. He had a feeling he knew the answer as to what this place was, who these people were, but he really didn't want to believe it. He didn't think he would be able to handle knowing it.

Slowly, he made his way through the halls, thinking only of his bed and sleep. Had it really only been one day? It already felt like he had been at the Asphodel for weeks, months. It was as if time flowed differently here. He wondered if he was just going insane.

Just as he was passing the courtyard, he heard the sound of frantic footsteps approaching. He turned and saw Piper running after him, looking pale. "Will!"

"Whoa," he cried. "What is it?"

"Have you seen Hades?" she gasped, holding her chest. "I have to tell him something."

"Piper?" a voice came from down the hall. They both jumped to find Hades striding down the hall, on cue. A bad feeling formed in Will's gut. Between Hades's solemn expression and Piper's heavy breathing, he wasn't sure if he wanted to know what was going on. "What's wrong?"

"I…" She took in a deep breath. "I went back into town like you asked. It's like you said. The old Elysium pub is littered with them."

"And?" Hades inquired.

"I just overheard two officers talking about it. They shot down an American pilot in Anzio. He survived, but he's been taken in. They're going to transfer him through Rome and into Germany this Friday night."

Will could sense more than see the emotion coming from Hades. It was a tense, angry feeling. One that made him want to take a few steps back. Every instinct he had was crying, "Danger! Retreat!" yet his feet seemed frozen into place as his head spun.

American pilot. Anzio. Overheard. Friday night.

Oh, God, they really were resistance members. Will had been brought into Rome by resistance members. "Oh, God," he said aloud, which unfortunately seemed to remind Hades of his existence.

"Piper, call for a meeting. We'll discuss this more then. Mr. Solace, why don't you go see to Travis's arm?" His tone left no room for argument and Will found that he was agreeing and moving down the hall before he could even process it.

He didn't realize he had passed Nico until the Italian stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "Will?" he asked. "What happened?"

Will looked at Nico's hand and suddenly felt the urge to throw it off of him. Instead, he leveled Nico with a glare. "You're seriously all _resistance members?"_

Nico blew out a sigh, disturbing a few long strands of his black hair. He glanced behind him, checking for listening ears, before suddenly pushing Will through the closest door to them. Will didn't even fight it. He was still too dazed and, frankly, a bit angry. Will crossed his arms as Nico shut the door behind him and leaned against it. "What did you hear?" he asked lowly.

"Am I even legally allowed to be here?" Will asked loudly. "You know, at first, I didn't remember why I recognized Hazel. But I'm pretty sure she was the one that _handed me the documents to sign!_ You set this all up!"

Nico held up his hands in defense. "I had nothing to do with it," he argued. "I didn't even want to bring in another medic, to be honest! Especially an _American_ one!"

Will snorted. "Wow, is me being an American really so terrible? I don't understand!"

"No, you wouldn't!" Nico shot right back. "You have no idea what it's been like! America just joined the war! And all of you act like you're doing us such a _great honor._ Where were you two years ago? Three, four, five years ago?"

"That's hardly my decision! Plus, I didn't _kidnap anyone!"_

"We didn't _kidnap_ you! _Merda,_ this is exactly why I didn't want to bring in a foreigner!"

"Maybe if you all had just been honest about it," Will huffed, "I wouldn't feel like I just woke up on Brobdingnag!"

Nico opened his mouth to argue more but then he shut it again. His eyebrows furrowed. "What?"

Will rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh… Brobdingnag. From _Gulliver's Travels?_ Land of the giants? They dressed him up and made him do shows."

Nico nodded. "Oh."

"Yeah…" They fell silent, both lost in their own thoughts. Nico's face was solemn, stern. It was easy to see the resemblance between father and son at that moment. Will found he didn't like it. One Hades was terrifying enough. He let out a long, suffering sigh and relented. "Piper came rushing up to me looking for your dad." Nico glanced up at him in surprise. "She was saying something about an American pilot getting shot down somewhere like Antsy… Antsy…"

"Anzio?" Nico finished.

"Yeah, that."

He looked at his feet. "Anything else?"

"She just said that he survived and were transferring him through Rome on Friday night." Will crossed his arms. "There. I told you what I know." He gestured to Nico. "Now you tell me what you know."

Nico's eyes were gleaming with some kind of determination that Will hadn't anticipated. He didn't seem to have heard Will at all. The next thing Will knew, Nico darted for the door and strode into the hall.

"Nico!" Will shouted after him, following at once. _That little!_ "Hey! Get back here!"

Nico was quick. Very quick. And he knew his surroundings. He easily outran Will, who huffed. "Dammit," he muttered. He felt as though he'd made a major error in telling Nico what he'd overheard. He was one-hundred percent certain he was not supposed to have found out, and something told him that Hades would not appreciate his only son encroaching on the subject.

After wandering around, he eventually found Nico again. He had his ears against a wine glass, which was pressed to the large double doors they had passed earlier. Will could hear muffled raised voices behind them. Eavesdropping. Bad idea. Really bad idea.

"Nico," he hissed.

Nico waved him off with a grimace. _Shut up, idiot!_

Will lifted his chin and marched over to him. "What are you doing?" he whispered. "There's a reason you're on the other side of the door, you know!"

"_Dio,_ Solace, just leave me alone."

"Would you just—?"

The door opened. Nico squawked as he fell forwards. Instinctively, Will reached out to grab the back of his shirt and caught him. The wine glass slipped through Nico's fingers and shattered beside their feet. "Ah, Mr. Solace," Hades's deep voice greeted him. He completely ignored his son. "We were just about to call for you."

"Wh-what? Me?" Will accidentally dropped Nico to point at himself. Was Hades angry that he overheard? Did he already know he told Nico? Oh, God, he really didn't want to die at the hands of this horrifying man. "I-I don't know anything about nothing!"

"Yes, I know. But it seems your talents are needed." Hades eyes flickered down to his son, who was rubbing his arm with a groan. "Nico, go find your sister and Hazel and help with the dishes."

Nico was up immediately. "What? But I can _help!_ I can—"

_"Nico,"_ Hades interrupted without batting an eye. "Go find your sister. Mr. Solace, come in."

Nico shot Will a deep, furious glare. His hands tightened into fists at his sides. "Traitor," he snapped. It stung Will more than it should have. He could only watch as Nico turned his back and left, a shard of glass crunching beneath his shoe, torn between wanting to apologize and to say he had no idea what was going on. He hadn't asked for this – any of it!

Hades stepped aside and Will caught a glimpse of a large round table. Everyone was seated around it, looking grim. A large map sat on the table with several marks and lines drawn upon it. An Italian flag was hung up on the wall.

It hit Will in full force as he walked in. They really were a part of the Italian Resistance. Any fears that had crossed Will's parents' minds when he told them he was going to Rome, Will was sure that getting involved with rebellions was not one of them.

Lou Ellen gave him a sympathetic smile. _"Sorry," _she mouthed.

Then the doors closed behind him, and Will found himself looking at nine Resistance members.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Look, a regular update! :O! Firstly, thank you to all who's followed/reviewed already! You're all lovely. Second, yeah, this is gonna be about the average length for every chapter. Third, I wonder who that American PILOT could be? Hmmm. :3**_


	3. Chapter 3

Will couldn't stop pinching himself. There was no way it was all real. There was no way he was sitting in on an Italian Resistance meeting. He was back home, with his parents, having a bad dream, a simple projection of nerves. There was no Asphodel. There was no American pilot. There was not a group of angry people shouting at each other and pointing at a map of Rome.

Will pinched himself and flinched. Still in the room. He gave himself a second quick pinch only to groan and hide his face in his hands.

He was awake.

"If we strike as they bring him in they'll be off guard!" Leo was saying as he twirled what looked like a grenade with a long handle between his fingers.

"That won't work!" Reyna objected. "They know of us now, remember? They'll have double everything. Double guards, double ammunition, double watches."

Leo danced the object in front of her face. "Flash bomb!" he exclaimed, as if that solved everything.

"Piper," Hades said, not even listening to the bickering amongst the others. His eyes were transfixed on the map, hands holding either end open, and Will could almost see his thoughts flickering behind his dark eyes.

"Yeah?" Piper sat up. She twisted her fingers through her long braid.

"Did you hear anything of this pilot's rank? Is it possible he knows anything?"

The room fell silent. Will glanced at the door. He wondered if Nico was behind it, listening to every word that was being said. He honestly hoped not.

Piper shook her head. "I didn't hear. To be perfectly honest, I didn't stick around to listen. They also mentioned your name."

"My name?" Hades looked up.

"No. Will's."

Everyone turned to him. Will could feel his pulse all the way to the tips of his fingers. The throb in his chest was painful, but it was nothing compared to the raw confusion and fear that hit him. "Wh-what?" he choked out. "I've been here a _day._ Why would—?"

It was silent. No one said a word until there was a banging noise and Octavian threw himself onto his feet. His chair clattered against the ground as he pointed accusingly at Will. "I knew it! He's in league with them! He's probably been filling the Germans in ever since he got into the city!"

To Will's surprise, Connor stood up next. "And how exactly did he do that? He was with us the whole day! Saving_ my_ brother!"

"Connor's right," Lou Ellen spoke up. "Will couldn't have had a chance to get any information to them. How could he have possibly known anything about us beforehand? He doesn't even know Italian or German."

"Or perhaps he's playing as all for fools!" Octavian huffed. "The _moment_ he walked into Rome we've had nothing but trouble! First Travis, then the information leak, now this American pilot… for all we know it could be a ruse! There might not even be a pilot!"

"I know what I heard!" Piper glared at him. "I'm not an idiot, Octavian! I know fake information when I hear it. The Germans shot him down and kidnapped him. He needs help. Or have you forgotten what it's like to be behind their bars?"

Octavian gaped at her. "How _dare—?"_

"Everyone just shut up!" Leo shouted. "_Mierda!_ I can't even hear myself think! These are delicate thoughts, you know!"

"Oh, stuff it," Reyna muttered. "I say we wait until Saturday morning. Just as they are preparing to move him again."

Leo shook his head. "I still think we should go for it as soon as they bring him in."

"And, why," Octavian muttered, "should we even bother with him at all?" He received silence, which said enough. Oblivious to the angry stares on him, Octavian continued, "We don't owe him anything. We're already on the Germans' radar. If we put one more _toe_ out of line then that's it! It's over! Why should we risk our lives to save what little left he has of his?"

"Are you even hearing yourself?" Will interjected with a growl. "Are you really saying you value yourself over another person? This is a _life."_

Lou Ellen gave him an impressed look. The rest of the members looked equally as taken aback but several nodded their heads in agreement.

"They could have just killed him," Piper reasoned. "The Germans. If they thought the pilot was useless they would have killed him and be done with it. They obviously think he has some information."

"Piper's right," Hades supplied. "This American could know about the Allies' plan to liberate the city. We can't let the Germans gain that information."

Octavian lifted his chin a bit but fixed his chair and sat back down. He glared darkly at Will from across the table. Will returned one.

Leo broke the silence. "So what do we do?"

"We break him out," Hades answered, "by any means necessary." He looked at Will. "And we'll need you."

Will snorted. "Me?" He shook his head. "Okay, let me just get this straight. First, you lie to me and fabricate a whole scheme just to get me in the city. Then, your little guard dog here accuses me of being some Nazi spy. And now you want me to help you break out a prisoner of war?"

"Yes."

"Well that's… that's just brilliant."

"Solace—"

"I didn't sign up for this!" Will yelled. "I just wanted to _help people!_ I didn't want to get thrown into… whatever this is! Look at everything in here!" He gestured wildly around the room. "Guns, knives, maps, lists of names! I feel like if I take one wrong step I'll set off a landmine!"

Leo suddenly sat up straight, eyes wide. "Oh, man, I forgot about the landmines."

"See? See!" Will pointed at him. "This is what I'm talking about! I can't do this! I'm not a fighter! I'm not a liberator! I'm just… I'm just a medic!"

"You saved Travis," Connor said quietly.

"I had no choice!" Will laughed hysterically. "You guys just burst in and he needed medical attention. I couldn't let him bleed out. It's a bit different to be rushing into a German prison and yanking out a P.O.W.!"

"Solace," Hades interjected. "Breathe."

Will did. His lungs felt like they were on fire.

"I understand your concerns. I didn't want you to get involved, but the facts are that there more than likely a severely injured man that needs help. None of us have enough knowledge on how to treat him, but I can tell you that the Germans have more than enough knowledge on how to inflict the worst pain imaginable. I'm not asking you to do this for Rome. I'm asking you to do this for another American. A _life._"

Will flinched, gaze dropping to the floor. For a long time, no one said anything. The only sound came from Leo's fingers nervously drumming on the table.

"Well?" Hades asked.

Slowly, Will managed a silent nod. He didn't trust himself to speak. If the way his hands were shaking at his sides were any indication, his voice wouldn't do him much good.

Hades nodded back and, as if a large curtain had just been unveiled, he began to launch into the details of a plan. Will barely listened to a word. The medic patch on his sleeve felt as if it was burning into his skin.

…

The next few days were just as long and stressful. Will spent the majority of his time either in the infirmary or in the meeting room, listening as Hades drilled the plan in his head over and over again. They had covered any possible outcomes, highlighted several escape routes, proposed many alternatives in case something went wrong. When Dakota asked, "What if one of us is captured?" Will felt nauseated.

The feeling only doubled when Hades answered with, "Don't tell them anything."

Nico wasn't speaking to him. For some reason, it bothered Will more than it should have. He would spot Nico in the courtyard or pass him in the hall and call out to him only to receive a deep glare and pointed silence as he brushed past him. At dinner, Nico continued to sit as far away as possible from him. He wouldn't even spare him a single glance.

The rest of the crew warmed up to him rather quickly. He was surprised by how welcomed they made him. The only exceptions were Octavian, who sneered at him whenever they passed each other, and Nico, who would furiously turn his gaze to the wall or to the floor whenever Will walked by. Still, the rest were kind enough to him. They told him stories of before the war, who they were and how they ended up in Asphodel.

Travis, barely back on his feet and already eager to be out and about, told Will of how Connor and he were raised in Germany, but their Jewish heritage had made them obvious targets. They didn't talk much about what happened to them after that.

Leo came from Spain. He spoke of the festivals and music and of his family often, and let it slip that he was a veteran of the Spanish Civil War. When Will asked how he came to Italy, Leo grew very quiet. His eyes went distant again. "After the war," he said, "Reyna, Dakota, and I all found our way here."

Something in his tone made Will not push for details.

Piper had been the daughter of a popular actor in Germany, though the movies had been labelled as Allied propaganda as the new regime took control. Her family had been targeted and, thanks to her father's high-up connections, she alone found safety in Hades's home. Will didn't ask where the rest of her family was.

"So, you're a spy?" Will asked. "Like, a real spy?"

"I prefer the term informant," Piper said, "but, yes. I'm a spy. I talk to the drunken German _Dummköpfen_ and get any information I can out of them."

"And how the heck do you do that?"

"Like I said, I'm persuasive."

Will hummed. His attention started to drift across the room, where Nico was talking to Hazel in low whispers. "Beer and women. Man's largest weakness."

"Exactly." Piper smiled smugly. "Still, I'm curious about you."

Nico rested a hand on Hazel's shoulder and Will had to force himself to respond. "Hm?"

"You show up here and everything just falls apart. Those German soldiers," she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, "they knew you. I heard them say your name. Multiple times. Like they're looking for you."

"But why would they be looking for me?" Will shook his head. "I don't know anything."

"They seem to think you do." She twisted her braid around her finger. "Be careful when you go out with the guys."

Will nodded, nerves tripling.

Leo had a very different attitude about it. "Just stay behind me and you'll be fine!" he sang, waving him off with a carefree grin. "Leave it to the professional! I'm the king of escapes, you'll see."

Reyna huffed. "If anything, Valdez, you would be the joker."

"And _there's_ the ice queen." Leo glared at her. "This one will trip you if you're slow."

"For the thousandth time," Reyna growled, "I tripped you because you were about to give away our position! We would've been caught if you wandered off!"

"Blah, blah, blah." Leo waved her off, hands mimicking speech, and promptly wandered off.

Reyna gaped at him and followed, cracking her knuckles.

The morning of the operation, Connor found Will packing his bag full of medical supplies. "Hey, Yank. You ready?"

"Not even the slightest," Will answered truthfully. He had had disturbing nightmares all week. Of failure. Of German soldiers with smoking guns. Of an empty room across the hall. Still, he couldn't leave the pilot there to rot. If he could help, he would.

"That's all right. No one ever really is." Connor lifted a roll of bandages and aimlessly tossed it from hand to hand. "Everyone is gearing up. It won't be long now."

He just nodded.

"Remember. Stay behind Travis and me, and in front of Leo and Octavian."

"Travis's arm isn't even healed yet," Will muttered.

"I know. He's stubborn." Connor shrugged. "Runs in the family, I guess?"

Will tried to smile but his lips wouldn't stop shaking.

Connor reached back and pulled a gun out of the band of his pants. He held it out to Will. "Here," he said. "You should have one. Just in case."

Will shook his head. "I'm a pacifist."

Connor's eyebrows shot up. "No kidding? Well, where we're about to be going – they're all kind of the opposite of pacifists." When Will didn't respond, he continued, "Look, Will, I'm only saying this because I don't want to see you get killed 'cause you pitied someone that only viewed you as target practice." He held out the handgun again. "Take it. Please."

Will stared at the weapon with distaste. _"Keep pushing forward,"_ he could hear his brother say in his head. Slowly, Will forced himself to take the gun.

"You know how to use it?" Connor asked.

He shook his head.

"Right." He pointed to a little switch on the butt of the gun. "This is the safety. Make sure that's on while you have it in your holster. Travis once shot himself in the foot that way."

"He seems to get hurt a lot."

Connor chuckled under his breath. "You have no idea," he muttered lowly and then brightened up again. He smacked Will's arm. "Anyways, let's go smoke some Krauts, huh?"

Will exhaled and tightened his grip on the cold gun. It was heavy. Too heavy. Without another word, Connor left Will alone with his thoughts for a few moments. Immediately, Will looked to the weapon in his hand, feeling a bit sick. He couldn't. He marched to a drawer, tossed it in, and slid it shut firmly.

He knew Connor's heart was in the right place, but Will knew he would sooner die than have to kill. Pacifists didn't shoot. The very thought of having a gun in his hands, aimed at another person…

_God, I can't do this,_ he thought desperately. A wave of nausea rolled through him. _Why did I ever think I could handle being even a field medic?_

He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but a soft knock came from the door. "Will? It's time."

"Be there in a second," he called, voice wavering. He collected himself, stared at the closed drawer, and then turned to leave. Just before he shut the door behind him, he took a glance around the room and hoped that he wouldn't be returning as a patient.

…

"Look alive! We need to be in position in fifty-five minutes!" Reyna shouted as Leo and Octavian loaded up a simple truck up with several crates and bags.

"What's that all for?" he asked Lou Ellen as she passed.

"Camouflage," she said before handing him two heavy crates. "Help pack it up, will you?"

"Sure," he grunted, hands shifting under the weight, before wobbling over to help. As he dropped it clumsily onto the bed of the truck, he noticed a figure standing along the outer wall of the villa, lingering in the shadow of one of the tall columns.

Nico met his eyes. Against his better judgment, Will raised a hand in greeting – or maybe it was farewell. He wasn't quite sure what would happen to him within the hour, wasn't sure if he would be able to say anything to Nico or anyone again. The thought filled him with raw panic and suddenly all he could do was look at Nico, who straightened up and looked as though he wanted to say something to him. He must have thought better of it because he just dropped his gaze and walked away.

"Oi!" Will felt a light tap to his forehead and jumped. "Be careful with these things, huh?" Leo chastised as he nudged the two crates Will had carried. "They're filled with some pretty delicate stuff, you feel?"

Will blinked at the boxes. _Persephone's Pomegranates _was stamped on the side. "Fruit?"

Leo snorted and lifted them up. "That's just our cover. Trust me. You do _not_ want to eat what's inside of these bad boys!"

Will looked at Connor for further explanation but the other boy just shrugged and shook his head.

Reyna jumped off of the bed of the trunk and strode to the driver's seat. "Hop in. Time to go."

Connor and Travis were lifting a particularly large box into the bed. Leo raised an eyebrow at it. "I don't remember that one," he said.

"Well, it was with the others," Travis hissed as they pushed.

"My arm," Connor groaned.

"You have no room to complain." Travis gestured at his injured arm with his chin. "Jerk."

Once it was in place, Will followed the twins' lead and climbed into the back along with Octavian, who sat across from him, watching him closely as though he was going to sprout a swastika on his forehead. Reyna and Leo took the front, with the former at the wheel. Leo cast a crazed look over his shoulder. "All right, ladies, let's go!"

And the engine roared to life.

…

The drive was short. Will's anxiety grew as they entered the heart of the city. There were so many people, so many cars. What if something went wrong and innocent people were caught in the crossfire? It didn't help that Octavian was looking at him as though he'd already murdered someone.

Piper's comment from last week came back to him. _Have you forgotten what it's like to be behind their bars?_

He glanced at Octavian out of the corner of his eyes – at his pale blonde hair and watery blue eyes. He held himself with a stiff, practiced posture, chin set firm, almost like a soldier.

They hit a bump in the road and Will jumped at the way the car jumbled. Travis and Connor cracked up and hit him on the shoulder comfortingly. "Loosen up, Doc," Travis teased.

Octavian muttered something about a guilty conscience and was ignored.

Will leaned against the larger box. His fingers were in his pocket, clutching around a thin sheet of metal. He could feel the engravings along it, the letters and numbers that had once identified someone. It was all he had left of his brother. He'd always been the strong one. Right then, Will could use all the strength he could get.

They all fell into an uneasy silence for the remainder of the ride. Will was lost in his own stormy thoughts until the truck stopped once more and he was being rushed off.

"Remember the plan?" Connor whispered under his breath urgently.

"Wait with Leo in the alley. Don't speak to anyone until you come back. Meet Dakota in the car across the street."

"Once we hand off the pilot to you two you guys have to get him to Dakota without drawing attention. We're going to cause a diversion that should give you enough time, but he's going to be in bad shape. It's your responsibility to get him the hell out of here."

"Right," Will affirmed with false confidence. Connor patted him on the back as Octavian and Reyna started for a plain stone building in the center of the plaza. Will could see German soldiers lined along the entrances, wielding heavy weapons.

"See you in six minutes," Travis said happily, clapped him on the shoulder, and jogged off to catch up with the other three.

Immediately, Leo was at his side and handing him what looked like a gas mask. "Trust me, you're gonna want to put this on."

Will blinked at it. "Why?"

"See those guards by the back entrance of that building?" He gestured with his own gas mask. "We're pretty certain they'd be keeping the pilot in the back room so it's the quickest route. We have to get their attention so Reyna and the rest can sneak in." Leo's grin was far too cheerful for their situation. "Remember how I was saying you shouldn't eat the fruit? You're about to find out why."

Will scrambled to put the mask on, obscured from public sight in the alleyway they were parked in. Leo was readjusting the boxes on the back of the truck like he was getting ready for a party. He pulled out what looked suspiciously like a switch and flipped it. Then, casually, as if out for a Sunday stroll, Leo jumped off, grabbed Will by the arm, and started speed-walking down the alley. "Here we go!" he sang and put on his mask.

Before Will could as what was happening, there was a loud blast behind them. Will flinched and turned around. "Jesus, Leo!" he gasped as a large billowing cloud of what looked like white gas billowed out of the remains of the boxes.

"It's just a diversion," Leo assured him, voice muffled by his mask. "Smoke bombs. Perfectly harmless." Raised voices were approaching the alley. By the time the guards blocking the door had arrived, Will and Leo were already on the opposite end of the street, discarding their masks into a trashcan and dodging the surprised crowd congregating at the blast to see what had happened. "Just keep walking."

Will's pulse was pounding in his ears, but his feet went mechanically. Each person that brushed past him made him flinch as his imagination ran ahead of him. _What if we're caught? What if someone was hurt? What if they don't make it?_

Suddenly, sirens blared in the not-so-far distance. Leo cursed under his breath and increased his pace, which made Will's anxiety shoot to new heights. "What's that mean? What's happening?"

"Just keep walking."

Will did, but he was so preoccupied looking for the source of the blaring horns that he didn't notice the person in front of him until he crashed into him. Will backed up to apologize but froze when he saw the forest green uniform. There was a shining badge on his chest that read _Lawrence _and an Iron Cross medal pinned into the fabric beneath it. A very familiar insignia was sewn into his sleeve.

Everything in Will's body clenched up as he stared into the face of a very upset German officer. "Out of my way," he ordered through his teeth with a heavy accent.

Will just stayed frozen. His eyes flickered to where Leo was approaching with a grave expression back to the furious face in front of him. The German officer's hand rested on his waist, on the holster of his handgun. "Do you have a problem?"

In a flash, Will saw everything. He saw his home, his parents' faces when he said he was going to Italy, his brothers teaching him how to hit a baseball, his best friend Cecil as he told Will he'd been drafted, the veteran at their door who handed them a folded flag.

The German drew his gun. "I'll ask you one more ti—!"

_"Mi scusi!" _Leo intervened, cutting in between them. "He no speaks the English very good!" Then he whispered behind his hand, "Not very quick in the head, _si?" _He cast a sympathetic look at Will. "Isn't that right, _Alfonso?"_

"E-er. S-si."

"You see?" Leo grabbed Will's elbow and began steering him away. "It's sad, really. I'm taking him home right now. Sorry to bother you, officer. _Ciao._"

The German scowled but two more soldiers came up and said something to him in German. The officer nodded, glared at Leo and Will, but pocketed his gun again and followed his comrades down the street.

Leo pulled Will down into another alley. "Now we wait," he said. "See. Easy, right?"

Will let out a shaky breath and leaned against the wall. "I think I'm gonna throw up."

"Ah, rookies." Leo chuckled. "You'll get used to it."

They didn't have to wait long. Only about five minutes later, Connor and Reyna were rounding the corner with Octavian and Travis at their backs. They were supporting a limp figure between them, who was just barely able to stand on his own feet. He was wearing a battered and torn uniform, stained and matted and looked as though it had been burnt in some places. His face was cut, bruised, with a nasty gash running down his lip and another across his forehead. His hair may have been blond, but it, too, was soaked red.

Will's instincts kicked in. He rushed forward to help support the man, who was hissing through his teeth with every step. "Almost there, soldier, hang in there," Reyna muttered as she handed him off to Will and Leo. "Got him?"

"Yeah. Everything all right?" Leo asked.

"It was too easy," she replied. "Not one guard on the inside."

"Like they wanted us there," Octavian supplied.

"They're buzzing like bees around the truck, though." Travis wiped his forehead. "Nice job."

"We'll draw them away from the area. Just get to Dakota as fast as you can."

Leo nodded and supported the pilot's other side. "Go, go! Here we go, buddy. You're almost there."

The pilot let out a choked groan and fell slack against Will, who realized the gash along his forehead was still bleeding. "Leo, we have to keep him awake. He might not wake up if he passes out."

"Good luck," Connor called before the three of them ducked back out into the street. The smoke was still billowing around the buildings, making it hard to see much of anything.

"Hurry," Will breathed to Leo and they walked as fast as they could with the half-conscious pilot dragging himself along. "C'mon, stay with us. What's your name?"

The pilot stirred. His eyes were a faded, dull blue with heavy bags underneath. His skin was too pale against the dried blood on his face. When he spoke, it was with a raspy, monotone, lifeless voice. "Staff Sergeant Jason Grace. Serial number four-three-nine—"

"It's all right," Leo soothed. "We're not interrogators. We're trying to help you."

"Interrogators…" Jason Grace repeated weakly. "I didn't tell them anything… I didn't say… just told them my numbers."

"That's good," Will muttered. He remembered the German officer from earlier and started worrying about what would happen if they ran into him again. "You did great, Jason."

"Four-three-nine. Seven-seven-one," the pilot rambled. Will wondered if the American even knew where he was or what was happening. "Seven-seven…" He lost his balance for a moment, making Will gasp under the weight while Leo worked to pull him upright.

"Ask him a question. Keep him talking," Will grunted.

"Uh… okay." Leo took a breath. "You like enchiladas, Grace?"

Jason's dead eyes regarded Leo in confusion, but Will thought he saw a spark of life there. "…What?"

"Enchiladas. Meat, cheese, beans. All wrapped in a tortilla."

"That's a burrito." Jason winced, but there was more strength to his voice.

"No, enchiladas are completely different. There's this sauce that you drizzle on top. Way better than a burrito."

Jason breathed out shakily. It may have been a laugh. "You remind me of my sister," he whispered hoarsely.

"Where is she?" Will interjected as they avoided the crowds. "Your sister. Where is she now?"

"Gone."

Will felt a pang. "I'm sorry."

"I could've helped her…"

Leo and Will exchanged looks before continuing. "Potatoes," Leo said suddenly. "You can put potatoes in an enchilada, too. And… uh… what else?"

"Peppers." Jason seemed to finally understand what they were trying to do. He pushed himself onto his own feet a bit more. "And onions."

"I thought you didn't know what an enchilada was," Leo joked.

To Will's surprise, the broken pilot cracked a grin. "I know what a _burrito _is."

Leo made an offended noise. "They're _not the same!"_

"Leo," Will called, nodding at a black car. "Is that him?"

"Yeah." He sounded relieved and shouldered more of Jason's weight. "C'mon, buddy. Let's get you home."

"Home," Jason repeated, sounding wistful. "I don't even remember home."

They threw open the back door of the car as soon as they approached it and carefully laid Jason Grace across the backseat. Will slid in to sit on the floor while Leo took the passenger seat. _"Drive,"_ he said to Dakota, who immediately threw the car into gear and skidded onto the street.

_"Easy!"_ Will scolded as Jason flinched. He spotted his bag underneath the seat and pulled it out. "Okay, Jason, I know this is going to be hard but you have to stay awake, all right? I'm going to stop the bleeding on your head but you _have _to stay awake."

Jason blinked his eyes awake. "You look familiar," he breathed.

"Oh, yeah?" Will asked, only half-paying attention. His hands were working to wipe away the dirt, grime, and blood off of the pilot's battered face.

Jason hummed. "Were you in the air force?"

"No," he said mechanically, already trying to thread a needle to stitch up the deep cut in the pilot's forehead. "I've only ever been a medic."

"You still look familiar…" Jason's eyes narrowed. "Michael?"

Will froze. He lowered the needle in order to stare at the other man in amazement. "Wh-what?"

"Michael?" he repeated.

A beat of silence, the metal in Will's pocket felt like it was burning a hole through the fabric, and then Will swallowed down the knot in his throat and went back to work. "My name is Will."

"Oh."

Will patched him up, asking basic questions the whole way. _What year is it? When were you born? How long have you been in captivity? Where are you from?_ Jason answered, but slipped more and more into unconsciousness with each passing second. He didn't even cringe when Will started to stitch him up.

They made it back to Asphodel without any trouble. Bianca and Piper were waiting for them, rushing to help. Together, they all carried him into the infirmary. Jason was completely unconscious by the time they set him on a bed. "Tell Hades," Leo said. "And someone keep an eye out for the others. Things got a little noisy downtown."

Bianca nodded and ran out of the room while Piper stayed behind. She watched the pilot with wide eyes. "What can I do?" she whispered. "How can I help?"

"Hand me that bottle," Will said, pointing to some disinfectant. "Hurry."

She did so without question. Her eyes never left him.

Thirty minutes later, Will had done all he could do. He'd stitched up every gash he found and practically wrapped him from head to toe in bandages. He checked his pulse and his breathing, but couldn't do anything more until the American awoke. If he awoke.

"Go clean up," Piper told him. "I'll watch him."

Will was uncertain, but he took one look at himself and found that he wanted to get the blood off of him as quickly as possible. "If anything happens come get me."

"Of course."

He took his leave, unaware of how badly his hands were shaking until he got into the hallway. He stared at them. Then took out the object in his pocket.

A pair of dog tags rested in his palm. It was his good luck charm, his token, a reminder. It was all he had left of his brother. Will ran his thumb across the name engraved into the small sheet of metal.

_Michael Yew._

An overwhelming sense of _reality _came crashing down on him all at once. He swayed on his feet and felt like he was going to be sick.

"Will!" someone cried, and Will just managed to catch a glimpse of Nico di Angelo running up to him before he hit the ground.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: I am soo sorry for the wait! ;w; My surface got a virus and I lost the whole thing so I had to rewrite it. Anywho, most of you were spot on with your Jason predictions! This chapter was slow (again, sorry) but important to the overall plot. Next chapter will be up much sooner than it took for this one, and it's one of my faves. Chock full of Solangelo. :3**_


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